


A Lesson of Humility

by Shadedraco



Category: Magic: The Gathering
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-28
Updated: 2016-03-28
Packaged: 2018-05-29 17:10:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6385120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadedraco/pseuds/Shadedraco
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liliana takes a trip to Theros in her search for immortality. She soon learns on Theros, death isn't an end. Death is a new beginning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Lesson of Humility

Theros was about as backwater as it got for Liliana. There's no reason for her to be here. Well there's one reason. She heard there's a way to become a god, which meant there was a way to become immortal. Avoiding as much contact as possible, she worked her way to the heart of Asphodel, the Temple of Erebos. "Now, hear my plea, great Erebos," she said, bowing at the altar. Smoke poured into the room, blacking out any light. A figure, formed from the smoke, approached the kneeling woman, "Rise. Tell me what favor you ask of me." A purple aura surrounded Liliana and as she stood, several of the Returned entered with the same aura surrounding them. "My favor is your position. We can do this the easy way or the hard way," she smirked. Erebos solemnly raised his hand and pointed at her, "Foolish mortal. I am much stronger than Xenagos." She backed up, "Who is Xena-" Her question stopped as a brass blade went through her bust from behind her, one of the Returned she summoned holding the blade. She could swear she saw a smirk cross the god's stony face.

She awoke in a bed. Well, a slab with a cloth over it. "I see our newest guest has awakened," a female voice said from the door. Liliana sat up and looked her chest, noticing that the wound was gone along with her pacts marks. "What's going on? Where am I? Who are you," she asked, panicked and bewildered. The woman walked into the room, "In order, you're dead, in the Underworld. And my name is Elspeth and you are the second person here not from Theros." Liliana got off the slab, "You know of the planes?" Elspeth nodded, "It's polite to introduce yourself." Liliana stammered, "Liliana. My name is Liliana Vess." She was still shaken. Was she really dead?

Elspeth gave Liliana a short tour of the small village. "What's with all the zombies in gold masks?" Liliana mentioned, slightly off put by their friendliness. "They're Returned. As far as I know, they're able to freely able to travel between the realm of the living and dead." Liliana smirked, "Why don't we get some masks then?" "Lose my soul? No thank you." The necromancer shrugged, "They don't seem to mind." Elspeth was speechless. Her face was a mixture of shock and slight anger. A shout pierced the air.

Liliana spun around, "What in the name of-" "Dammit, he's back," Elspeth growled, "Hey, can you help me?" "A land of the dead. I think i can help." They ran to the edge of the village and at least 10 Returned are charging down a hill. "Ready up!" Elspeth shouted drawing her sword. A purple aura glowed around Liliana's hand and she waved it in front of her. The Returned had started attacking each other ferociously. Elspeth couldn't move, she was far too bewildered. "How did you do that?" Liliana smirked, "I've been a necromancer for centuries. You learn some things." An air of discomfort appeared around the two.

Elspeth sheathed her sword, "How does a millennia old necromancer die anyways?" Liliana looked around and made an effort to avoid the question, "So, why were they attacking? Aren't they all friendly?" "I asked you first." The necromancer mumbled. Elspeth couldn't make out what she said, "Did you just say the word god?" Liliana nodded slowly, "The temptation of immortality... It was too strong." Elspeth chuckled, "Funny. I'm here because of a god myself." Liliana caught herself smiling at her friend and blushed, "Now, answer my question." The soldier sat on the grass and sighed, "Tymaret. He's a Returned, who kills for no reason. I've been protecting this village, but with a powerful necromancer... Would you help me?" Liliana pondered, "What's in it for me?" "My eternal service as your knight and protector." The necromancer was taken aback, "That's quite the offer. A flattering one at that." She smiled internally at the thought of an eternal companion, "It's a deal."

The two set out to end the undeath of the Murder King. Constant clear skies shifted to overcast and thunder. Liliana took notice, "We must be getting close. Evil lurks in shadows and under clouds. I really hate stereotypes." Elspeth smiled, "Heliod is the Sun God. And the hole in my corpse suggests he isn't good." The necromancer laughed, "The Sun on Theros is evil. The irony is too much." Elspeth talked on about her experiences on Theros. "So, Xenagos was one of us, then he became a god. That's what Erebos was talking about." Elspeth nodded. The rest of the journey consisted of talking about the realm of Nyx. "It was gorgeous. I almost wanted to stay there forever." Liliana muttered, "Not the only beautiful thing here." "What?" Liliana blushed. She knew she was beautiful, but something about Elspeth’s tone struck her. A large city, decrepit and gray, spanned the horizon. "It seems we’ve arrived."

The two entered the city. The few Returned nearby were dispatched easily. They reached the center of the city, where a throne of stone sat overlooking a forum-like area. Tymaret sat in this throne. Elspeth drew her blade, "Tymaret, I've come to slay you. I challenge you to single combat." Liliana whispered, "Why am I here?" "Insurance against his dirty tricks." They nodded in agreement. The King rose and grabbed a brass sword, "Combat. Start." He roared and charged at Elspeth.

The two blades collided. Tymaret swung his blade high, aiming for a decapitation. Elspeth brought her sword up, deflecting the blow, then following up with a thrust to his abdomen. She hit her mark, but she felt no real impact. The King slashed down, knocking on the hilt of his opponent's weapon due to her trying to retrieve it. Elspeth shook her hands from the shock, "What in the name of the Gods are you?" He laughed, "I am Tymaret, the Murder King. And you two are my next victims." Elspeth's sword was still stuck in him. A yell shook the air, Tymaret's horde were coming from all directions. Liliana smirked and focused on a group of them, causing them to fall under her control. Pandemonium swept through the Returned.

Meanwhile, Elspeth was barely dodging Tymaret's swings and thrusts. Liliana couldn’t help but to worry. As she broke her focus, the Returned went back to free will and started charging the forum. "Lili, focus!" Elspeth shouted, grabbing her sword and pulling out quickly. The necromancer snapped her attention back to the horde, bringing an even larger group under her spell. The two warriors clashed blades. Swings and thrusts were deflected or evaded.

Soon, the army of the dead had sufficiently killed themselves off, but Tymaret still stood. As did Elspeth, but more exhausted. Liliana shouted, "I can control him! We can end this!" Elspeth glared at her, then readied her sword. Tymaret swung high, mimicking his first strike. Elspeth responded the same as earlier. Without warning, The King struck her stomach with his fist, catching her off guard. She doubled over as the King raised his blade high. Liliana ran to the two. The blade began to swing down.

Liliana grabbed the sword's blade and growled, "Stay away from my knight!" Her free hand formed a tight fist, and she swung hard at Tymaret's mask. A crack formed as he staggered back. She threw the sword to him and waved her hand, glowing suddenly. "End it, you disgrace of a corpse." Tymaret slowly picked up the weapon and thrusted it through the mask, shattering it. Elspeth stood up and was frozen. Liliana sighed with relief, "Well, you're alive... sort of." The soldier shook her head in disbelief, "Did you just protect me? I mean the only other person that ever did was Ajani and we were, er, involved." Liliana smirked, "Lucky them. But I can't have you go and die, now can I?" She kissed Elspeth's cheek, "Maybe dying isn't so bad after all."


End file.
